Is It Safe To Consume CBD Products During Pregnancy?

Pregnancy is a very important time for both the mother and child, however, it can come with some unpleasant symptoms. Here's a look into whether CBD is safe to use during pregnancy to relieve adverse side effects.

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19 Mar 2018

There are a lot of uncomfortable symptoms that may accompany a woman during pregnancy and the first few months after childbirth. Nausea, chronic pain, and migraines are just a few of the physical symptoms. Psychologically, some women are faced with severe anxiety and depression, especially after giving birth. These are symptoms that are known for being at least partially ameliorated with cannabis.

Unfortunately, because they're carrying a fragile human being inside, women should not consume psychoactive substances. Like you probably already know, cannabis contains more than 100 cannabinoids. These have multiple functions and act differently depending on a number of variables. While THC might not be the healthiest of options during this time, CBD could be. This cannabinoid does not induce any psychoactive effects and is much safer than THC. If you’re interested in learning more about using cannabis with all its components during pregnancy, we have an article on that as well. However, in this one, we will be looking specifically at cannabidiol or CBD.

HOW CBD IMPACTS PREGNANCY

THC has been far more studied than CBD. Being illegal in most countries around the world, cannabis hasn't been offered a lot of thorough research opportunities. Until recently, CBD was relatively unknown. At present, however, we do have a couple of studies that may shine a light on the issue of CBD and pregnancy.

Considered to be a muscle relaxant, CBD can help women with contractions. This is based on a paper where synthetic CBD was used on cells outside of the body. Although this is hardly a case study, it's what we have for now. The research (from 2010) concluded that CBD will help with oxytocin-induced uterine contractions. Only further human studies can determine if this applies consistently. A compelling study nonetheless.

Although THC can be associated with alterations in ovulation and damaging embryonic cells, CBD will not cause the same harm. Based on experiments using pregnant mice, researchers concluded that when administered CBD, the embryos developed normally. Yet again, human studies will be needed to conclude if this applies consistently.

BEST CONSUMPTION METHOD

Obviously, smoking weed won't be your best option to deal with the uncomfortable side effects of pregnancy. Even if it's a CBD-dominant strain like Euphoria or Medical Mass, there will still be traces of THC. Even vaporizing flower will extract some damaging chemicals that pregnant women do not want in their system.

CBD-rich edibles are an option to avoid the pitfalls of smoking. But if you aren't making them yourself, it can still be risky. Only use edibles if you're making them with a controlled dosage and organic products.

The only viable consumption method left is oil. And indeed, that will be safest one.

100% CBD oil can be consumed in different ways. It can be taken in capsules, tinctures (which you can use to make edibles), and even lotions. Those with sore bodies can medicate by spreading a salve or lotion over the affected area. You can make your own lotion or buy one of the many legal products available online and in stores. Just make sure you trust the supplier and know every ingredient the product contains. Products made from organic hemp will help ensure there is no THC. This might be the best way to go.

SO, IS IT SAFE FOR PREGNANT WOMEN TO USE CBD?

Unfortunately, this is an answer we cannot provide because science hasn't yet confirmed it. We'll probably have to wait for medical cannabis to become more mainstream on a global scale before we reach a real conclusion. At this point, there just isn't enough investment in research.

And although THC has been deemed unhealthy for pregnant women, there was a study by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 1994 that shows otherwise. This paper looked at the babies of 44 Jamaican women at 3 days and 3 months old. 24 of these women had consumed cannabis regularly during pregnancy while 20 of them didn't. When compared, the children of the mothers exposed to cannabis had better results in the tests performed. The study doesn't look into any of the health issues, which is a flaw, but it states: "The neonates of heavy-marijuana-using mothers had better scores on autonomic stability, quality of alertness, irritability, and self-regulation and were judged to be more rewarding for caregivers".

This only proves that existing research is contradictory. We'll just have to wait for the future and hope medical research follows an evergreen path. If you're a woman wondering if CBD is safe for you, we can't give you complete assurance. But it is a lot safer than some of the pharmaceutical drugs you may be prescribed. Be sure to talk with your physician about your concerns. The most important thing is that you aren't consuming anything you don't feel 100% comfortable with.